Apply for and manage your grant
Find funding opportunities, and information on applying for and managing your public transportation grant. A grants-at-a-glance table shows the name of the grant, application open date, application due date, award date and application method.
Apply for a public transportation grant
Below you'll find information for prospective applicants for state and federal grants administered by WSDOT's Public Transportation Division. Grants are funded on a biennial (two-year) basis, though some grant programs may fund projects on a four-year cycle. The following types of organizations qualify for at least some of WSDOT's public transportation grants: cities, counties, nonprofit agencies, private operators, senior centers, special districts (such as schools and ports), state agencies, transit agencies, and tribes.
Grant-funded projects include:
- Services, such as transit; paratransit; transportation for the elderly, people with disabilities and rural communities; commute trip reduction; and transit pass programs.
- Vehicles and equipment, such as new buses, vanpool vehicles, and supporting equipment.
- Infrastructure, such as transit centers, park and ride lots, transit-signal-priority systems, and transit lanes.
The Grants Management System is a cloud-based software system for public transportation grant applications, invoicing, and more. If the grant application method shown in the grants-at-a-glance table is the Grants Management System, you will need to register for system access. Contact the help desk at PTDGMSsupport@wsdot.wa.govor 360-705-7711 for more information on registering for or navigating the Grants Management System.
Grant opportunities
Transit Coordination Grant
We’re currently accepting applications for the 2022-2023 Transit Coordination Grant. This grant supports projects that increase transit ridership and improve transit riders' travel experience through collaboration among agencies in the central Puget Sound region. Eligible projects include, but are not limited to:
- Integrating marketing efforts.
- Aligning fare structures.
- Integrating service planning.
- Coordinating long-range planning, including capital projects planning and implementation.
- Integrating other administrative functions and internal business processes, as appropriate.
- Integrating certain customer-focused tools and initiatives.
Eligible applicants are transit agencies located in a county or counties with a population of 700,000 or more that border Puget Sound (i.e., King County Metro, Everett Transit, Sound Transit, Community Transit, Pierce Transit, and the City of Seattle).
The Transit Coordination Grant application is available in the Grants Management System. Applications are due 3 p.m. PDT, June 9, 2022.
Regional Mobility Grant
We're currently accepting applications for the 2023-2025 Regional Mobility Grant program. Regional Mobility grants support local efforts to improve connectivity between counties and regional population centers as well as to reduce transportation delay. This program includes four eligible project types:
- Vehicle and equipment purchases
- Capital construction
- Operations
- Transportation demand management
Only cities, counties, ports, and public transit agencies in Washington state with WSDOT-reviewed concepts are eligible to apply for this program. Concepts for the 2023-2025 biennium were due to WSDOT by 3 p.m. PST, March 3, 2022. Regional Mobility Grant applications will open on May 12, 2022.
The Regional Mobility Grant application is available in the Grants Management System. Applications are due by 3 p.m. PDT, June 28, 2022.
We post notice of funding opportunities here and on the grant pages listed in the grants-at-a-glance table below about 30 days before the application opens. Applications will only be available between the application open date and the application due date. The application submittal method varies by grant and may be completed using a form or the Grants Management System, depending on the type of grant. More information is available by contacting your community liaison.
GovDelivery distribution list
To stay informed about WSDOT public transportation grants, you can register for updates by selecting “Public Transportation Grants” under “Funding” in the GovDelivery menu.
Grants at a glance
This table provides an overview of key dates and application methods for the grants currently administered by WSDOT's Public Transportation Division. We will update this table when grant programs are updated, added or completed.
Grant program |
Application open date |
Application due date |
Approximate award date |
Application method |
---|---|---|---|---|
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 |
Not applicable |
Not applicable |
September 2021 | Not applicable (formula distribution) |
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act 2020 |
Not applicable |
Not applicable |
May 2020 |
Not applicable (formula distribution) |
Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 (CRRSAA) |
Not applicable |
Not applicable |
April 2021 |
Not applicable (formula distribution) |
Commute Trip Reduction 2023-2027 |
Not applicable |
Not applicable |
June |
Not applicable (formula distribution) |
Consolidated 2023-2025 (includes Paratransit/Special Needs, and Rural Mobility competitive grants) |
July 21, 2022 |
Oct. 27, 2022 |
May 2023 |
Grants Management System |
Discretionary – Bus and Bus Facilities – 5339(b) federal fiscal year 2021 |
Sept. 20, 2021 |
Nov. 19, 2021 |
March, 14 2022 |
Coordination with WSDOT |
Discretionary – Bus and Bus Facilities – 5339(b) federal fiscal year 2022 | March 7, 2022 | May 31, 2022 | No later than Aug. 15, 2022 | Coordination with WSDOT |
Discretionary – Low or No Emissions – 5339(c) federal fiscal year 2022 |
March 7, 2022 |
May 31, 2022 |
No later than Aug. 15, 2022 |
Coordination with WSDOT |
Green Transportation Capital 2023-2025 |
July 2022 |
September 2022 |
June 2023 |
Grants Management System |
Paratransit/Special Needs 2023-2025 - formula |
Not applicable |
Not applicable |
July 2023 |
Not applicable (formula distribution) |
Regional Mobility 2023-2025 |
May 12, 2022 |
June 28, 2022 |
June 2023 |
Grants Management System |
Rural Mobility 2023-2024 - formula |
Not applicable |
Not applicable |
Summer |
Not applicable (formula distribution) |
Rural Transportation Assistance 2023-2025 |
January 2023 |
February 2023 |
April 2023 |
Form |
Vanpool 2023-2025 |
February 2023 |
March 2023 |
June 2023 |
Grants Management System |
Zero-emissions Access Program 2021-2023 | March 31, 2022 | May 10, 2022 | June 2022 | Form |
* Award date for state funds depends on the passage of the transportation budget.
For more information, contact your community liaison or Evan Olsen at evan.olsen@wsdot.wa.govor 360-705-6929.
Manage your public transportation grant
We provide the following guidebooks, and resources to help your grant administrator manage your grants, and maintain good standing with the Federal Transit Administration, and WSDOT.
Grant management guidebooks
- Consolidated Grant Guidebook (PDF 1.2MB)
- Regional Mobility & Green Transportation Capital Grants Guidebook (PDF 532KB)
- Commute Trip Reduction Guidebook (PDF 627KB)
- Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan (PDF 306KB)
- Drug and Alcohol Program Guidebook (PDF 600KB)
- Vanpool Investment Program Guidebook (PDF 298KB)
Trainings
Consolidated Grant management training
- 2021-2023 Consolidated Grant Training - administrative
- 2021-2023 Consolidated Grant Training - financial
- 2021-2023 Consolidated Grant Training - capital
- Consolidated grant management training handout (PDF 236KB)
Grants Management System training
- Claims reimbursement training
- Claims reimbursements instructions (PDF 884KB)
- Status reports training
- Operating status reports instructions (PDF 252KB)
- Mobility management status reports instructions (PDF 242KB)
- Commute Trip Reduction agreement status report and claims training
Procurement resources
Procurement forms and examples below are available on request from PTDprocurement@wsdot.wa.gov.
- Pre-award audit checklist
- Factory visit inspection checklist
- Factory trip expense worksheet
- Acceptance letter sample
- Buy America audit report sample
- Post-delivery Buy America and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards certification
- Post-delivery purchaser requirements certification
- Road test form
- Visual inspection form
- Department of Enterprise Services purchase authorization request
- Department of Enterprise Services purchase request form
- Department of Enterprise Services purchase request instructions
- Policy, plan and performance measurement templates and examples
Policy templates
Templates and examples below are available on request from your community liaison or the WSDOT project manager listed on your agreement:
- Administrative
- ADA policy
- Comment card
- Comment/complaint policy
- Drug and alcohol testing program policy
- Equal employment opportunity policy
- Ethics policy
- Harassment prevention policy
- Title VI policy/plan
- Unfair competition policy
- Volunteer driver policy
- Financial
- Disadvantaged business enterprise policy/plan
- Cost allocation plan
- In-kind valuation plan
- Capital
- Asset management plan
- Vehicle maintenance plan
- Regional Mobility Grant performance measurement
- Performance measurement plan: template
- Performance measurement reporting cover letter: example
- Performance measurement plan: basic example
- Performance measurement plan: moderate example
- Performance measurement plan: complex example
Other forms, documents and guidance
We have more resources to manage your grant, such as information on specific grant agreements, customized reporting and invoices, and documents for grantees on an as-needed basis. For assistance, contact your community liaison, or the WSDOT project manager listed on your agreement.
Asset management
We provide resources and sample forms to public transportation agencies to aid in the development of their transit asset management plans.
- Guide to Preparing Your Transit Asset Management Plan (PDF 200KB)
- MAP-21/Transit Asset Management folio (PDF 357KB)
A template for transit asset condition reporting, lifecycle analysis or inspection checklists and worksheets is available from Hiep Tran at hiep.tran@wsdot.wa.govor 360-705-7806.
Title VI tools
LEP Language App Map
The LEP Language App Map is maintained by the U.S. Department of Justice and can be used to identify limited English proficiency (LEP) populations by county.
See page 6 of the instructions to use the tool.
EJSCREEN
EJSCREEN is maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency, and can be used to identify various demographic variables, including race.
Pair the “Report Widget” feature (see instructions page 31), and the Get 2014-2018 ACS report link (see instructions page 45) to create a report of the selected area with U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey data in PDF format.
Washington Tracking Network – Information by Location
The Washington Tracking Network’s Information by Location tool is maintained by the Washington State Department of Health, and can be used to identify populations of persons with disabilities.
Drug and alcohol compliance rules
These U.S. Department of Transportation rules apply to consolidated grants with federal funding and may be used as best practice for other transportation providers.
- Federal Transit Administration tools and resources includes implementation guidelines, best practices, policy builder, drug awareness video, forms, and checklists
- Federal Transit Administration drug and alcohol legislation and regulations, and publications
- Federal Transit Administration technical assistance
- U.S. Department of Transportation annual minimum drug and alcohol current random testing rates
- Office of Drug & Alcohol Policy & Compliance – subscription to ODAPC Listserv Notices for updates to drug and alcohol rules and resources
- American Public Transportation Association
- Community Transportation Association of America
- National Rural Transit Assistance Program
Code of Federal Regulations Title 49 – Transportation
- Procedures for testing 49 CFR Part 40
- Implementation 49 CFR Part 655
Substance abuse service providers
- Association for Addiction Professionals substance abuse professionals listing
- Association of Medical Review Officers directory
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services certified lab list
More information on managing your grant
For more information, contact your community liaison or Nhan Nguyen at nhan.nguyen@wsdot.wa.govor 360-705-6996.
Zero emission electric vehicle registrations in Washington
increased 192% between 2017 and 2021.
45 projects to improve freight rail structures and freight movement
were underway as of December 31, 2021.
Washington state leveraged $100,000 to secure $27 million
in funding for airport investments in Fiscal Year 2022.